The present invention relates to the utilization of water waves to generate renewable energy. More particularly, the invention provides an extended length channel arranged to trap incoming waves to raise the water level inside said channel and thereby to form an artificial river to drive a water wheel. A sloped wall of the channel protects same from the destructive force of water waves.
The present invention is an extension of and improvement on my registered Israel Patent 180052 titled “SYSTEM FOR GENERATING ENERGY FROM SEA WAVES” and two co-pending Israel Patent Applications: no. 213751 titled “POWER GENERATION USING A VARIABLE HEIGHT TURBINE’ and no. 216638 titled “POWER GENERATION USING A VERTICAL SHAFT WATER WHEEL”
For the sake of simplicity the words “Water wheel” are used to describe the rotating member converting kinetic energy into rotational energy, the words being intended to include a unit which could be described as a water turbine.
The destructive power of water waves was tragically demonstrated in Fukushima, Japan in 2010 when following an earthquake a huge water wave entered two nuclear reactors destroying the essential equipment needed for cooling thereof. The result of this disaster was a world-wide reaction against nuclear power stations. While such events are indeed rare a normal storm raises waves that can batter and destroy a structure unless specially designed to withstand extreme stresses.
In my previous patents the channel has vertical walls and thus requires some reinforcement to remain serviceable under rough sea conditions.